Pipe handling tool



Nov. 9, 1937. BAASH 2,098,369

PIPE HANDLING TOOL Filed June 21, 1955 Patented Nov. 9, 1937 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PIPE HANDLING TOOL Lawrence F. Baash, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application June 21,.1935, Serial No. 27,753

1 Claim.

tools and are usually parallel and disposed to extend longitudinally or axially of the pipe or object being handled. Where the gripping teeth extend longitudinally of the object or pipe they often cut into the object or pipe to seriously damage the same, especially when relative turning movement occurs between the tool and the object or pipe.

20 Another object of this invention is to provide a tool for handling pipe or the like embodying a gripping means that is operable to firmly and dependably grip an object or pipe with a minimum of damage or injury to the same. 7 V

25 Another object of the invention is to provide a tool for handling pipe and the like embodying gripping serrations or teeth that are disposed to extend both axially and ciroumferentially of the object or pipe to obtain a particularly ef- 30 fective grip-ping engagement therewith. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe gripping tool having sets or series of pitched or spiralled gripping teeth that extend both axially and circumferentially of the pipe to obtain a particularly effective gripping engagement with the pipe, the adjacent sets or series of teeth being pitched or spiralled in opposite directions whereby the wrench or tool does not tend to twist or spiral on the pipe and the teeth do not 40 out threads in the pipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gripping means or a die for a wrench or tongs that is very dependable and efficient and not as liable to fail or break as the common or usual 45 gripping dies. The teeth of the dies of the present invention in extending diagonally or in being spiralled are not subjected to thesevere wear or the heavy breaking forces imposed on the typical straight axial teeth now commonly 50 employed on such tools.

Another object of the invention is to provide gripping dies for wrenches, tongs and the like that are simple and inexpensive of manufacture and that may be easily embodied in orprovided 55 on the tools."

. ries the outer law H The various objects and features of my invention will be fully understood from the following detailed description of typical preferred forms and applications of the invention, throughout which description reference is made to the 3.0- 5;

companying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the active end of the tongs embodying one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of one of the jaws of thejtongs illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan elevation taken substantially as indicated by line 33 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another form of gripping die provided by the invention. Fig. 5 1551:

is an enlarged fragmentary plan elevation taken substantially as indicated by line 5-5 on Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan elevation of a wrench embodying another form of the invention, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse detailed sectionalview taken substantially as indicated by line '!-1 on Fig. 6.

The present invention is adapted to be em bodied in tools of various characters for han-' dling and gripping pipe and like objects. In the following detailed disclosure I will describe several typical forms and. applications of the invention, it being understood that-the invention is not to be construed as limited or restricted to the specific forms or applications about to be described, but that it is to be taken as including any features or modifications that may fall within the scope of the claims.

Figs. 1, 2 and '3 of the drawing illustrate one form of the invention embodied in tongs of the class employed in well drilling rigs for handling well casing, drill pipe and like cylindrical objects. The tongs illustrated in the drawing include, generally, a handle l0, gripping jaws II, H li and H and the gripping elements or 40 dies 92 of the present invention carried by the jaws for engaging the pipe or obiject to be handledby the tongs.

The handle it may be of conventional length and may be'provided with suitable means for receiving a line or lines for suspending'the tool from an overhead support. The jaws II, H

8 l and I P are carried-by the handle Ill and are adapted to extend around or encircle the object or pipe. The jaws H and N which I will term the innerjaws, are connected to the handle 10 by spaced or offset pivot pinsl3. The inner jaw H carries the outer jaw l l and the jaw l I car- The outer jaws II and H are pivotally connected to the inner jaws by pivot pins I4. A pivoted latch I5 is carried by the outer jaw II and is adapted to cooperate with shoulders It on the outer jaw I I to hold the assembly of the jaws encircled about the pipe. Suitable handles Il may be provided on the outer jaws II and II. As will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, turning or swinging of the handle II] in the proper direction while the jaws are latched about the pipe causes the jaws to tighten onto the pipe for the purpose of turning the same or holding the same against turning.

In accordance with the present invention the active elements or jaws II, H II and II of the tongs are provided on their inner sides I8 with grooves I9 to receive and hold the gripping elements or dies I2 of the invention. Any one or all of the gripping jaws II, Il II and II may have one or more of the grooves I9. In the particular case illustrated in the drawing each jaw II, Il II and II is provided on its inner side with a groove IS. The grooves I9 extend longitudinally or axially relative to the object or pipe receiving opening formed by the concave inner surfaces I8 of the pipe encircling jaws. The grooves I9 preferably, though not necessarily, extend between the upper and lower sides of the jaws II, II ,II and II The grooves I9 are shaped to dependably hold and retain the dies I2. In accordance with theinvention the grooves I9 are dove-tailed having side walls 20 which converge outwardly from or relative to the inner surfaces I8 of the jaws. The outer or bottom walls of the grooves I9 may be flat and vertical.

The gripping elements or dies I2 are arranged in the grooves I9 to project from the inner surfaces IB of the jaws II, Il II and II to engage and grip the pipe or object encircled by the jaws. In the form of the invention being described each die I2 includes two sections A and B, it being understood that the dies' I2 may each be single or one piece elements. The die sections A and B are shaped and. proportioned to be locked or retained in the grooves I9. The ends 2I of the die sections A and B are outwardly convergent to cooperate with the dove-tailed walls 20 of the grooves. The sections A and B of the dies I2 are proportioned so that they may be driven or. force fitted in the grooves I9 to be securely retained therein. The twosections A and B of each die I2 are preferably'substantially equal in size and their inner ends are preferably normally in abutment. The outer or exposed ends of the sections A and B may be flat and flush with the upper and lower sides of the tong jaws II, H II and H The exposed inner sides of the sections A and B of the dies I2 are provided with gripping parts or teeth 22. The teeth 22 project inwardly beyond the inner surfaces I8 of the tong jaws II, II, II, and II, and the sides of the individual teeth 22 converge inwardly to relatively sharp edges 23. The teeth 22 are preferably in the form of continuous unbroken ridges and are preferably equally spaced. The edges 23 of the teeth 22 of each die I2 are equidistant from a common point or axis, that is, they lie in a cylindrically curved plane to properly engage the cylindrical surface or periphery of a pipe or the like.

The disposition of the teeth 22 relative to the pipe or object handled by the tongs and the relative disposition of the teeth 22 of the twosections A and B of eachdie I2 are important features of, theinvention. In accordance with the invention the teeth are spiralled or helicoidally curved to be oblique or slanted with respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe receiving opening formed by the tong jaws II, II, II and II. The teeth 22 of each section A and B are substantially equally spaced throughout their lengths and extend at a comparatively large angle with respect to the horizontal. In accordance with the invention the teeth 22 of the sections A and B of each die are sloped or inclined in opposite directions, that is, the teeth 22 of the section A of a die I2 are pitched or inclined in one direction and the teeth 22 of the section B of the said die are inclined or pitched in the opposite direction. This relating of the teeth 22 of the abutting or adjacent sections A and B of the dies I2 causes the teeth22 of the dies to resemble a herring bone pattern. If desired or found practical the teeth 22 of the dies I2 carried by adjacent tong jaws II, H II and Il may have the reverse angular relation, the upper section A of the die on one jaw having teeth 22 sloping in one direction and the upper section A of the die I2 in the adjacent jaw having teeth 22 sloping in the other direction.

In operation when the jaws II, Il II and II are closed about an object or pipe and locked in the encircling relation by the latch I the handle III is turned to tighten the jaws onto the pipe. The teeth 22 of the dies I2 in projecting from the inner surfaces I8 of the jaws contact or have gripping engagement with the pipe. The teeth 22 in being curved or spiralled are capable of obtaining a more effective gripping engagement with the pipe with less danger of cutting or biting into the pipe to an excessive extent. Due to the pitch or spiral of the teeth 22 they have little or no tendency to chatter or to track in their engagement with the pipe. The teeth 22 in being spiralled or pitched with respect to the pipe extend both longitudinally and axially thereof to more effectively distribute the gripping forces. Further, the pitched or inclined teeth are not as liable to fail or break as straight axial teeth because the thrusts to which they are subjected are principally horizontal and not directly transverse of the teeth. The teeth 22 of the sections A and B of each die I2 in being pitched or spiralled in opposite directions prevent the tool or tong from spiralling or shifting longitudinally on the pipe. Furtherythe opposite pitching of the adjacent sections A and B of the dies aids in preventing the tracking and chattering of the gripping teeth.

Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing illustrate another form of the invention which may be considered as embodied in the jaws of the tongs shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, or in the jaws of similar tongs. In this form of the invention grooves 25 are provided in the inner or active sides 26 of the jaws to carry dies I2 Each groove 25 has an upper portion which is spiralled or helicoidally curved in one direction and a lower portion which is spiralled or helicoidally curved in the other direction. The two oppositely curved upper and lower portions of each groove 25 may be of the same length and width. The inner walls of the grooves 25 may besubstantiallyflat and are preferably suitably spirally curved about the axis of the pipe receiving opening of the tool. In accordance with the invention the grooves 25 are dove-tailed having outwardly convergent side walls 21. The grooves 25 preferably extend between the upper and lower sides of the tong jaws ll, Il II and II.

The dies l2 of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing each include two sections C and D. The sections C and D are fragments or sections of a spiral. The sections C are the upper sections of the dies and are longitudinally curved or spiralled to properly fit the spiralled upper portions of the grooves 25 and the die sections D are likewise spiralled to properly fit the spiralled lower portions of the grooves. The sides 28 of the die sections C and D are outwardly convergent to engage and cooperate with the side walls 27 of the grooves 25. The die sections C and D are proportioned so that they may be driven or force fitted in the grooves 25 to be securely retained therein. The upper and lower ends of the spiralled die sections C and D are preferably straight and horizontal. The inner ends of the sections'C and D of each die I 2 may be in abutment as illustrated in Fig. 4. The exposed or outer ends of the sections C and D may be substantially flush with the upper and lower ends of the jaws II, H II and H".

Gripping parts or teeth 29 are provided on the die sections C and D to project from the inner sides 26 of the jaws II, H N and H to grip the pipe or object. The teeth 29 have converging sides joining at comparatively sharp edges 39. The edges 39 of the teeth 29 of each die l2 are equidistant from a common point or axis to properly contact the cylindrical periphery of the object or pipe to be handled by the tongs. The teeth 29 are preferably continuous or unbroken ridges which extend between the upper and lower ends of their respective die sections C and D. In accordance with the invention the teeth 29 of each die section C and D are helically curved or spiralled. The teeth 29 follow or are concentric with the longitudinal margins or sides of the die sections C and D as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Thus the teeth 29 of the sections C and D of each die l2 are pitched or spiralled in opposite directions.

In operation the gripping teeth 29 are adapted to obtain a firm and dependable gripping engagement with the pipe. The teeth 29 of the sections C and D comprising each die [2 in being pitched in opposite directions prevent spiralling of the tongs on the pipe and more effectively distribute the gripping engagement. It is to be particularly noted that the spiralled die sections C and D extend circumferentially as well as axially of the pipe so that the teeth 29 engage the pipe throughout a greater portion of its circumference. The spiralled gripping teeth 29 are adapted to obtain effective gripping engagement with the pipe with a minimum of injury to the pipe.

Figs. 6 and 7 of thedrawing illustrate the invention embodied in a wrench for handling relatively small objects or pipe of relatively small diameter. The particular wrench illustrated includes a handle 49 provided at its outer or active end with an outwardly facing jaw 4|. A screw rack 42 is shiftable or adjustable longitudinally at 45 are formed directly on or are integral parts of the jaws 4i and 44, it being understood that the teeth 45 may be on renewable inserts or dies, if desired. Each jaw 4i and 44 has a series of oblique curved teeth 45 extending in one direction and a series of oblique curved teeth 45 extending in the opposite direction. The teeth 45 are preferably faced or pitched inwardly or away from the mouth of the wrench on the jaw 44 and are pitched in the opposite direction on the other jaw 49 to better grip the pipe. The two obliquely disposed series of curved teeth 45 provided on the active face of each jaw 4| and 44 join at the center lines or medial lines of the jaws. The teeth 45 on the two jaws 4i and 44 may be identical or the angular relationship between the two series of curved teeth on the jaws may be reversed.

The two sets or series of pitched and curved teeth 45 on the wrench jaws 4! and 44 facilitate the secure and dependable engagement of pipe and like objects. The teeth 45 of each body in being pitched in opposite directions operate to prevent slipping of the wrench on the pipe. Because the teeth 45 extend both axially. and circumferentially of the object or pipe engaged they have less tendency to bite into or damage the pipe and more effectively distribute the gripping forces. Accordingly, the wrench or tool provided with the teeth 45 is particularly adapted for handling finished pipe,'plated pipe, etc. which it may handle without materially injuring the same.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall within the scope of the following claim:

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a'tool for gripping pipe and like objects, a jaw part having a groove in its active face, the groove including a portion spirally curved in one direction and a portion spirally curved in the other direction, and a die comprising spirally curved sections fitted in the said portions of the groove to be in end to end relation, and gripping teeth on the sections spirally curved to substantially follow the margins of their respective sections and extend both axially and circumferentially of the object or pipe being gripped.

LAWRENCE F. BAASH. 

